8 Gentle Wound Healing Tips to Prevent Severe Scar Formation

Hardly anyone wants to give scars a warm welcome. There are many different types of scars, and most people seek treatment to diminish a scar’s harsh appearance. Sometimes scars are a painful reminder of an incident, and other times scars are simply an eyesore. Either way, people tend to want to heal their scars in the most effective way possible.

Sometimes scars are unavoidable, due to surgery or an accident. Doctors are aware of these omnipresent scars. In fact, Dr. Kirsner, M.D., states that often times surgeons create three to six times as many wounds as they attempt to repair an injury.

Even if you are not thinking about potential scars, the possibility of them appearing at some point in your life is quite likely.

In order to keep your body scar-free, it becomes necessary to educate yourself as to ways you can prevent them from appearing in the first place. Sometimes it is impossible to rid the body of scars entirely, but there are often ways to heal the scars in a healthy manner to reduce their appearance.

Here are eight ways to gently take care of your scars to attempt and prevent scar formation.

1. Silicone is Not Just for Breasts

When you hear the word, “silicone,” you probably think of breast augmentation. Believe it or not, silicone does have a role to play in preventing scars from forming as well as perking up women’s boobs. Experts can morph silicone into a gel form or even a sheet. The silicone sheets can come in a size and shape similar to that of a bandaid.

Simply stick the sheet on for a few hours every day for up to 20 hours, and you will notice your scar diminishes over time. Silicone gel works similarly, but the sheets offer the benefit of having protection over the top of the silicone. This method of prevention and even treatment is quick and available to anyone. Once you notice that a scar is beginning, or if you have a wound that has recently healed, then do not wait for the nasty scar to appear. Simply purchase some silicone sheets and begin apply them before the scar worsens.

Silicone sheets and gels are not for people who are looking for immediate, or at least quick, results. There are, however, some topical treatments that show a speedier promise.

2. A New-Age Option

Fidgetin-like 2 is a microtubule-severing enzyme, and researchers have recently dubbed it a new potentially therapeutic option for regenerating and repairing cutaneous wounds.

These researchers have found that when in vitro, if fidgetin-like 2 is reduced, then cell movement increases rapidly. Researchers have theorized that adding a topical treatment of fidgetin-like 2 can significantly improve both the rate and quality of the wound closure.

It is significant to note that researchers are still studying this option. There are side effects currently under examination, and scientists are still tuning the potential serum. However, this is certainly a prevention, and even treatment, option to keep in mind. Treatments, ointments, and medications can all cost a fortune. There is, however, one frugal way that you can help your skin.

3. Quit Stressing Over Your Skin

Too often people think about the physical nature of scars. Instead, consider the emotional and physiological effect of scars. Scientists have found that stressors, including anxiety, pain and depression, can all lower the rate of healing by 40 percent.

These stressors work to release steroids into the body, which in turn stimulates the pituitary gland to send out glucocorticoid hormones. These hormones lower the likelihood of any wound receiving adequate hormones and thus natural treatment.

On the flip side, when you exercise and are healthy physically, oxytocin floods the system. This reduces stress and helps the hormones needed to repair skin effectively.

Stress has so many different detrimental effects on the body. Do your body a favor and go for a run, treat yourself to a spa day, or get some extra sleep. Not only will your overall health improve, but you just might prevent some scars in the process.

While you are de-stressing, you can plan for a more invasive treatment if you truly want results.

4. Get Your Graft On

If you want something a little more invasive and proven, then there is always the option of having a skin graft performed. Skin grafting works by harvesting epidermal skin grafts without creating any scars from the donor area. Surgeons use a tiny device to make the incision, and this allows them a small chance of creating any new scars at the donor site.

Surgeons place these small donor pieces of epidermis onto the wound. Skin grafts might appear risky, but they actually help promote the proper growth of skin. Instead of allowing a scar to appear, you can move existing, healthy skin onto the site of the wound, and enable the skin to grow back in a healthy, minimally noticeable manner.

Thanks to technology, there are actually machines now that can combine small skin grafts and allow them to stretch over an even larger area of skin. This means fewer skin grafts necessary, even for the large wounds. However, at the end of the day, skin grafting is a rather invasive and serious procedure. Surgeons will place you under anesthesia. Some people may look for a lesser-extreme and invasive treatment in order to prevent or reduce the appearance and presence of scars.

5. Here Comes The De-Bride

Odds are that if your surgeon told you they wanted to make your wound larger in order to minimize the chance of a scar, you would scoff and run off the operating table.

However, the procedure of debriding is actually more beneficial to preventing scars than it appears.

Debridement is the removal of any dead, infected, or damaged skin tissue. While scientists have long debated the effectiveness of debridement, it would make sense to remove all dead, ineffective skin to allow for the healthy skin room to grow back.

Therefore, it can be beneficial for your surgeon to debride your wound, if you have any ineffective skin around the area. Your surgeon will work to cut the unusable skin away to expose the new, healthy skin. This allows the healthy skin to spread and regrow.

If this option creeps you out, then fear not. There are still a few more alternatives left to prevent a serious scar from forming.

6. More Stem Cell Experimentation

Anyone following any form of scientific advancement knows the prominence of stem cell research. Stem cells have broken boundaries in the medical field, and scar prevention is no exception. Surgeons have successfully transferred bone marrow derived stem cells into freshly debrided wounds. The results were that healthy, regrown skin appeared quickly and unnoticeably to the naked eye.

This option rapidly increases healing time while also offering minimal scarring. Your surgeon can either inject or dress the debrided wound with your own stem cells, and you can reap the benefits of new, healthy skin.

Most of these options have been relatively invasive. Here are a few minimally invasive options to help reduce your chance or appearance of scars.

7. Compress It – Don’t Stress It

Compression bandages are available in all shapes and forms to help you reduce the appearance of your scar. While compression bandages do not help much in the way of coloring, when combined with other forms of scar reduction they can prove extremely beneficial. here are plenty of different shapes and sizes of compression bandages to make it as comfortable as possible for you to wear the bandage.

All you have to do is apply a topical treatment, such as a silicone gel or another cream, and then slide the bandage over your scar. The compression therapy works to flatten out the scar, while the topical treatment will crack away at the color. The bandage can be uncomfortable or cumbersome to put on and off. It is much more convenient to only require a small amount of serum or ointment.

8. A Popular Option

Convenience is key when looking for the right fit in scar treatment. The easiest option for most people is a serum that is both proven and easy to apply. These serums are mostly combinations of antioxidants, moisturizers, and clinically proven ingredients to help reduce the appearance of scars.

Skin treatments such as those from www.DermeffaceFX7.comare safe, natural, effectiveand easy to use. Clients boast of speedy results for practically every type of scar.

If you choose to purchase a serum or topical treatment, then be sure to seek the opinion of a medical professional before using the new treatment. Your physician can offer professional insight into your health and wellbeing, and side effects can always differ for everyone.

The type of scar that you have will greatly affect your attempts to reduce its appearance. Here are the four types of scars, with identification information for you to help determine your type of scar.

1. Acne Scars: Just as it sounds, those unwanted zits that adorn the faces of many of us can cause these scars. Sometimes a person can further the scar by physically messing with their acne, trying to pop it, and squeeze it. However, sometimes the acne simply leaves a scar without even touching it.

This type of scar’s aesthetic tends to be easy to alleviate. More than likely, the appropriate treatment for this type of scar will include topical ointment of sorts or even prescription medication from your dermatologist.

2. Contracture Scars: The burnt skin often leaves a contracture scar. Contracture scars often cause tightening of the skin, which in turn creates immobility around joints. Contracture scars can be both superficial and deep. The more superficial contracture scar will likely require a topical treatment. On the other hand, something deeper can benefit from a compression pad or even something much more new-age, like the fidgetin-like 2.

3. Hypertrophic Scars: Hypertrophic scars are typically red and raised. These scars always extend around the area of the wound, but never beyond that. Hypertrophic scars can be irritating, sometimes painful and other times rather itchy. The best plan of action for a hypertrophic scar is typically silicone sheets or gel, or even injections to help soothe any inflammation around the wound.

4. Keloid Scars: Perhaps the most difficult to either prevent or treat of all the scars are keloid scars. These types of scars appear similarly to the hypertrophic; however, they spread well beyond the initial area of the wound.

A keloid scar is also red, raised and inflamed, but these scars travel beyond the initial original wound. Sometimes these scars can appear purple or even a gray color. You can best treat these scars with relatively invasive measures.

There are ways to help prevent all of these nasty scars from forming. Early prevention is key. From extremely invasive options of debridement and skin grafting, to simpler solutions of stressing less and purchasing a reputable skin treatment, there is an array of options for you.

Be aware of the skin you’re in, and it will be sure to thank you for it.